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“Samantha says that babies come from moms and dads, and I don’t want Daddy…I-I want Wyatt to be with us…” She takes a deep breath and her face crumbles as she starts to cry.
Marlow and I look at each other, her expression as distraught as I feel.
“We’re staying right here, and Wyatt is too,” Marlow says, reaching out to hug Dakota to her.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell her.
Marlow wipes Dakota’s tears and smiles at her. “We’re having a baby with Wyatt. He’s the baby’s daddy and he’s going to be taking care of this baby with us…”
“He is?” Dakota sniffles.
“And taking care of you too,” I add. “You and your mama. We’ll all take care of each other.”
“I like that,” Dakota says, nodding, as she blinks back more tears. “I think…could we pretend you’re my daddy too?”
Can my heart be ripped apart and bursting with love all at once?
I hold my arms out and Dakota moves into them as I hug her tight. My eyes meet Marlow’s, my position precarious as I don’t want to overstep, and yet, I have to make it clear to Dakota how important she is to me.
It’s something Marlow and I will have to work through. I’d start the process to adopt her today if I thought Marlow and Dakota wanted that, but now’s not the time to bring it up.
I say all I know to say.
“Sweets, I already love you like you’re mine, and I will when that baby comes too. I’ll be whatever you want me to be because I’m your Wyatt forever and ever. Okay?”
She leans back and pats my cheeks. “Okay,” she says softly. “My Daddy Wyatt.”
Whew. That gets me right in the gut. I swipe the tears from her face.
“Your Daddy Wyatt. I like that,” I say hoarsely.
Marlow sniffles next to us.
Dakota grins at me, and her face suddenly brightens even more.
“Do you think she’ll like Hermioneep?” she asks.
“I think sheor heprobably will.” Marlow laughs, wiping the tears from her face too.
“He?” Dakota repeats. “It’s a boy?”
“We don’t know yet,” I say.
She shakes her head. “No, it’s not a boy. Can we name her Chester?”
Marlow and I try to hold back the laugh.
“Uh, Chester…well, we’ll put it on the list and think about a bunch of names while we wait.” Marlow’s voice cracks at the end, still struggling not to laugh.
“Will she sleep with me in my bed?” Dakota asks.
“He or she will have their own bed,” Marlow says. “But you might have to share rooms for a while…” Her voice trails off as she looks around.
It’s time I talk to a contractor. I should’ve looked into it when I first started feeling this way about Marlow. Maybe Magnus could take on building a house now that the renovations on the resort are more under control. Or maybe he can recommend someone who could.
Time is going to fly between now and our baby coming.
Holy shit. I still can’t get my head wrapped around the fact that I’m going to be a dad.
